Curtain and blanket stretcher



May 17, 1932.

R. H. OBRIEN ET AL CURTAIN AND BLANKET$TRETCHER Filed Dec. 27, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l clm z eJZ/IIM yl'izg, INVENTORS ATTORNEY.

May 17, 1932- R. H. OBRIEN ET AL CURTAIN AND BLANKET 'STRETCHER Filed Dec. 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

R. H. OBRIEN ET AL' CURTAIN AND BLANKET STRETCHER.

Filed Dec. 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 -Ecfiard' 12. 0. 3 60,- Jb/ZW .9 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y.

May 17, 1932.

Patented May 17, 1932 "UNITED, STATES "PATENT OFFICE 7 j RICHARD H. OBRIEN, OF WATERTOWN, AND JOHN A. BYRNE, OF ALLSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS CURTAIN AND BLANKET STRETGHER This invention relates to an improved ad- ,m with the sizes of the articles to be stretched thereon. V 4 g I Another object is to provide a stretcher which is simple anddurable in construction,

economical to manufacture, and otherwise .1 well adapted to meet with all of the requirements for successful commercial use.

A further object is to provide a stretcher embodying horizontal and vertical adjustable stretcher bars, and improved means for releasably holding said stretcher bars in any desired position of adjustment.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described -shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

7 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of a stretcher embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, showing details of an upper corner portion of the stretcher frame and ad i jacent parts.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 2. V

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

.tudinal section on line 55 of Figure 4. a Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 6 6 of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on line 77 of Figure 6; and Figure 8 is an enlarged verti al section on line 8-8 of Figure 1. v f

The present stretcher includes a rectangular frame composed of a horizontal top mem- Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longiv proper positioning of'said brace.

her 5, a horizontal bottom member 6, and vertical end members 7 and 8 having their adj acent ends rigidly connected at three corners of the frame by means of divided angle braces 9, 10 and 11 bolted in place as at 12. Rigid- 1y mounted in the upper portion of the stretcher frame below the top frame member 5 is an intermediate horizontal stationary stretcher bar 13 which carries a horizontal scale bar 14 suitably graduated in inches or the like. A similar vertical scale bar 15 is carried by the end frame member 8 between the intermediate stretcher bar 13 and the bottom frame member 6. On the outside of the remaining upper corner of the stretcher frame is fitted theangle base 16 of a divided hanger casting 17. The sections of the casting 17 are bolted together as at 18, and the vertical leg of the base 16 is bolted to the end frame member 7 and the vertical leg of a corner brace 19 as at 20. The brace 19 is fitted on the inside of the adjacent upper corner of the stretcherframe and is additionally bolted at 21 to the end frame member 7, the brace 19 also having abottom foot 22 bolted at 23 to the adjacent end of the stationary intermediate stretcher bar 13. The other end of the bar 13 is attached to the end frame member 8 by means of a divided angle brace 24. so

. The frame members 5, 6, 7 and 8 and the fixed stretcher bar 13 are in the nature of sheet metal tubes of rectangular cross-section and centrally longitudinally slotted respectively at their inner and upper sides, the 5 portions of the tubes at opposite, sides of the slots being inturned as at 2'5. Rigid with the corner brace 19 are lugs 26 which project into the slots of the'frame members 5 and 7 to facilitate firm fastening of the latterand Movable vertically between the fixed stretcher bar 13 and the bottom frame member 6 is a horizontal adjustable lower stretcher bar composed of a pair of spaced members 27 rigidly connected by brackets 28 and having outer inturned longitudinal edges, forming guides or holders for strips 29 of card clothing, thepins of whichare adapted to impale the articles to be stretched. 1

pose.

a pair of spaced members 27?; rigidly'"con'-- necte'd-by brackets 28?) and having outer inturned longitudinal edges forhiind haulers] g 7 v h to the Weight 42. The guide tubes 48 and 49 aresupportedattheir lower ends by brackets for further strips 296 of card clot ing.

Rigidly attached to the 'oppositeyends'o'f the stretcher bar members 27 are brackets '30,

and slidable in thesebrackets-betweensaid members are the horizontal stems 31 of brake "shoes 32retracted'by springs 33 and adapted to bemanually projected'into frictionalengagement' with the inner "faces of the "adj a- (:lciwnwardly ofi'set ends of a horizontal brake 'op'erati'ng 'bar 35f by"ineans of links 36'jand pivoted to'the brackets are further links j 37 wh'oseldvver ends are pivotejd tothead "j'a'cent ends of the stems 31 and'links 36.

The arrangement is such: that'wvhen the bar 85f islifted; th'e'brake shoes"32 are'released bythe springs from the frain'e lmembers n 7 ands, thereby permitting the l'oWerhori 1 zontal stretcher bar to be verticallyfadjusted.

The bar '35 is then pressed doWriW ardly to project the brake shoes 32' andtofl nove the fiends of the bar and thef a dj'ac'ent iends of thelinks 36 belovvthe plane of'the stems 31, 4 thereby providing a .past centerefi'ectvvhere' by the brakeshoes' are' held in frictional con-' tactwith the fram'e' members? and 8to hold I lower horizontal stretcher bar in ad jiisted "position.

In order to counter-balance the lower'horiif'zohta'l stretcher bar; the oppositeends" there- 4'Qffan'd41 toja eights 42 and'aaj 'riie casting. 17' and braces 9 embody pairs 'ofupstan'ding "plates '44 and 4'5 between Which are respectively 'jouf'naled'pulleys 46 and 47. The

i ffie iblei memberf38 is attached atone to 'the'" bracket 30 at' 'oneend of the adjustable lower horizontal stretcher bar and passes up- Wardly and outwardly over-alined o'nes of adjacent end of the framewhere'its other end" fisatt ached to theweight 42Whioh ismova'ble -in vertical guide tube 48 'mounted' on said adjacent end of the-frame: The flexible membe'r 4:1;TS attached" to the jother bracketSO and pa sesb er alin'ed 'ones of the pulleys 47, a nd then at acme other end of the" frame "i'vh'ere it 'is" at tached to" the ivei-ght43 ivhich is movable inafurther vertical guide tube 49 mounted on said adj acent other end of the frame. The flexible member 39 is attached to the bracket 30 at one end of the frame and passes'over certain of the pulleys 46 and 47 to the opposite end of the frame Where it is attahed to th weight 43. In a likemanneflthe flexible member 'isattached to the other bracket 30 and passes over other of the. pulleys 46 and 417 to opposite end of the frame Where it is a ttached 50 attached to the end frame members 7 and 8; and'the -upper endsof these guide tubes are held between complemental jaws 51 integral '1ivith'thefsections of't'he'casting 17 "and the upper corner brace 9.

' -Ihe't0p connecting-bracketseam-the adjustable vertical stretcher bar members 27b embodies a casting provided with: a top plate member 52 'provide d ivith lugsfidwhich 'slidably project into the bottom" slot of the top frame member 5 as shown inFi'gureb. hanger 54 is -*adjustably-' eonifeetediiwith the plate 521357 meansof ath'readed-stem55 passing through said plate 52 and liaving er 54 has spaced 'ofrollers 57 w hi ch tra ck on-the bottom 'wa'll 'ofthe top frame member "5 at opposite sides" of its longitudinal slot A similar lug carrying b racket -platej and hanger" slidably bolinect the lovver ends of the stretcher bar members 27?) vv'i'th'rthe vbottom frame member 6' as f generally indicated at 58. The top bracket28b further has ari elongated bottom bar 59 v bracedas' area and carryi'ng' three roller carriages- 61; 62 *and' 63 Whose rollers track on the top tvall of the fixed horizontal stretcher "bar 13, at hipposite sides of its longitudinal {slot The/ earri ages 61, 62, and 63 have threaded ste iiis 64 Which pass freely through the'ba'r 59'-and have nuts 65 threaded on their u'pper ends s o that *thecarriagesmay be adjusted te-cause the rollers thereof to pmperiy'enga e the top Wall of the bar 13.*-'These barriages'are ab ranged tandem rel'ation,'- the'endones thereof acting to maintain the baFmenibers 27b in a verticai position. 'rhe uaaerside of the intermediate portion of theba'r "59is *faced with a'strip'of' fiietion material 66,

and pivoted to a nut "on the stem" 64 6 fthe intermediate 'ca rriage 62 is a cam" lever 67. By swinging lever 6"dovvn vvardly"to the v position of-Figure 5; its cam presses the'faced intermediate portion of the bar '59 into-frictional engagement-wanthe top 'ofthe bar 13, thus holding the 'str'etc'herb'ar members 27?) iaian position'to which they 'a're adjusted." B'y lifting the 'lever 67'} the-' 'i'iitermediate brake portion of the bar 59 Ts' re- "leas'ed fromthe bar 13 soas-to' p9ei'mit free horizontal adjustment o f said members 276.

nuts 56 threaded onits lowerend; Thehang- 'lOt horizontal stretcher bar 27, 27 to the required position and applying the brake shoes 32 to lock said bar in position, measurements being taken from the fixed bar 13 on the scale 15. This setting is done to correspond to the width of the curtain. The adjustable vertical stretcher bar 27?), 27b is then adjusted the desired distance from the end frame bar 7 to correspond to the length of the curtain, measurements being taken at this time on the scale 14;. This sets the stretcher for simultaneously stretching curtains of similar size on both sides of the stretcher. Large curtains or single blankets can be accommodated by setting the horizontal bar 27, 27 the proper distance from the top frame bar 5 and by setting the vertical bar 27b, 271) the proper distance from the end frame bar 7. Double blankets or the like can be stretched by passing them around the guide tube 48 and the end frame bar 7, the ends of the blanket being attached to opposite sides of the vertical bar 27?), 27?) the upper edge of the blanket being attached to opposite sides of either the top frame bar or the fixed intermediate bar 13, and the lower edge of the blanket being attached to opposite sides of the lower horizontal bar 27, 27. 7

One or both of the lower corner braces 10 and 11 may be provided with a supporting roller or rollers 68 to facilitate movement of the stretcher over the floor or ground from one place to another, if desired.

What we claim is:

1. In a curtain and blanket stretcher, a rigid rectangular frame composed of top and bottom horizontal members and vertical end members, roller-supporting castings joining the adjacent ends of the end and top frame members at the upper corners of the latter, a guide tube mounted at each end of the frame, means carried by each casting for securing the adjacent guide tube in a vertical position at the outer s de of the adjacent end frame member, a horizontal lower vertically adjustable stretcher bar movably mounted in the frame and slidably engaged with the end frame members, and counter-balancing means for said lower horizontal vert cally adjustable stretcher bar including weights vertically movable in the guide tubes and flexible members connected to the ends of said lower horizontal stretcher bar and passing upwardly over the rollers of said castings and attached to said weights.

2. In a curtain and blanket stretcher, a rigid rectangular frame composed of top and bottom horizontal members and vertical end members, roller-supporting castings joining the adjacent ends of the end and top frame members at the upper corners of the latter, a guide tube mounted at each end of the frame, means carried by each casting for securing the adjacent guide tube in a vertical position at the outer side of the adjacent end frame member, a horizontal lowe rvvierticallyi adjustable stretcher bar movablymounted in the frame and slidably engaged with the end frame 7. members, and counter-balancing means for said lowerhorizontal vertically adjustable stretcher bar including weights vertically movablein the guide tubes and flexiblefimembers connected to the ends of said lower horizontal stretcher bar and pass-I ing upwardly over the rollers of said cast ingsxand attached to said weights, onefflexible member being attached to each end of the lower horizontal stretcher bar and to the weight at the adjacent end of the frame, another of the flexible members being connected to each end of the horizontal lower stretcher barand connected to the'weight at the opposite end of the frame. i

3. In a curtain or blanket stretcher, airigid rectangular frame composed of horizontal top and bottom frame members and vertical end frame members, each of said frame 111E111? bers embodying a hollow tube longitudinally slotted at the inner side thereof, a fixed horizontal intermediatestretcher bar mounted in the upper portion of the frame below-the top frame member and embodying a hollow tube longitudinally slotted at the upper side thereof, avertical horizontally" adjustable stretcher bar mounted in the frame and slidably engaged at its ends in the slots of the top and bottom framemembers, carriages carried by the ends of said vertical stretcher bar and having wheels tracking'on the inside 'of the top and bottom frame members at opposite sides of the slots thereof, and aplu-. rality of further carriagesattached tov the vertical stretcher bar and tracking on-gthe lower surface of the top wall of said fixed intermediate stretcher bar at opposite sides of the slot thereofl I if i 4. In a curtain or blanket stretcher, a rigid rectangular frame composed of horizontal top and bottom frame members and vertical end frame members, each of said frame members embodying a hollow tube longitudinally slotted at the inner side thereof, a fixed horizontal intermediate stretcher bar mounted in the upper portion of the frame below the top frame member and embodying a hollow tube longitudinally slotted at the upper side thereof, a vertical horizontally adjustable stretcher bar mounted in the frame and slidably engaged at its ends in the slots of the top and bottom frame members, carriages carried by the ends of said vertical stretcher bar and having wheels tracking on the inside of the top and bottom frame members at opposite sides of the slots thereof, and a plurality of further carriages attached to the Vertical stretcher bar and tracking on the lower surface of the top wall of said fixed intermediate stretcher bar at opposite sides of the slot thereof, a bracket carried by the vertical stretcher bar and having an elongated base bar-to-which the last-named carriagesaare-attached, therintermediateportion of said-base bar having a bottom facing'of frictional-material, and 1 manually a operable 'cmeans "for pressing said'intermediate 'portion of "therbase bar into frictional engagementwith the-upgerasurface of said fixed stationary' st'retcher ar for releasably'holding "the vertical adjustable' stretcher .bar many-position of adjustment. v "5.5 In a curtain or blanket stretcher, a-rigid rectangular frame composed of horizontal top and; bottom frame members and vertical end frame members;eachofsaid frame membersembodying a hollow tube longitudinally slottedat the inner side thereof, a fixed horizontal intermediate stretcher bar mounted in the upper portion of the framebelowthe top frame member and embodying a hollow tube longitudinally slotted at the uppersi de thereof, a vertical "horizontally adjustable stretcher 'bar mounted in the frame and'slidablyengaged at its ends in the slots of the top andmbottom frame members, carriages carried by the endsof said vertical stretcher bar and'having'wheels tracking 'on the inside of thetop and bottom frame members at oppositesides offthe-slots thereof, anda plural ity of further carriages attached to the v'erticalstretcher bar and tracking on the lower surfaceofthe' top wall of said-fixed intermediate stretcher bar at opposite" sides of the slot thereof, and means for adj usting said carria'ges into intimate rolling' contact with the Walls of said" top, intermediate and bottom frame members.

Ini-testimonywhereofv we afiix our signatures.

'RICHARD. H. OBRIEN.

JOHN A. BYRNE. 

